Fireplace chimney damper construction with water catching means



1952 J. KOBERLING, SR 2,622,583

FIREPLACE CHIMNEY DAMPER CONSTRUCTION WITHWATER CATCHING MEANS Filed Aug. 24, 1950 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 INVENTOR. 176613073 K054972272 97:

Dec, 23, 1952 J. nigligRuNs. SR 2,622,583

FIREPLACE Cli NE DAMPER CONSTRUCTION WITH wA'r-ER CATCHING MEANS 2 SHEIETSSI-IEET 2 Filed Aug. 24, 1950 r m8 my E. bmr T r 6 6 e Patented Dec. 23, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FIREPLACE CHIMNEY DAMPER CONSTRUC- TION WITH WATER CATCHING MEANS 7 Claims.

The invention relates primarily to improvements in dampers of the general type disclosed in my U. S. Patent 2,192,381 of March 5, 1940. In this patent, a damper plate is pivoted within a frame to be mounted in a chimney, an adjusting rod is pivoted to and extends downwardly from said damper plate, a handle is secured to the lower end of said rod and is pivoted with teeth, and said handle extends through a guide eye which cooperates with said teeth in holding handle, rod and damper in any selected position, according to the draught required through the chimney.

With the abovementioned construction, it is necessary that the adjusting rod be cut to exactly the proper length when installing the device, in order that the damper may have its proper range of adjustment, and it has therefore been necessary for the factory to accompany each device with explicit directions telling how to cut the rod to the proper length. These directions, however, have not been properly followed in all cases, with the result that the damper has not had the proper range of movement and would not therefore satisfactorily perform its function.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved handle construction which allows a substantial amount of adjustment of the toothed handle with respect to the rod and does not therefore require such accurate cutting of the rod, yet permits the damper plate to have the proper range of movement.

Rainwater running down a chimney and water from condensation created by the contact of uptravelling warm air inside the chimney with the cold air on the outside, producing moisture similar to moisture on window panes during cold weather, frequently results in considerable damage to plaster and interior decorations, and it is a further important object of the invention to improve the damper mounting frame by providing it with a trough to receive rain water and water of condensation and drain it exteriorly of the building.

A still further object is to provide the bottom of the frame trough with upward projections upon which the usual flue liner is spaced upwardly from said trough bottom and will not interfere with draining of water from the trough.

Still another object is to adapt the last mentioned feature of the invention for use with vent pipes from water heaters, floor furnaces and the like.

Fig. 1 of the accompanying drawings is a vertical sectional view, partly in elevation, showing the improved handle construction and associated elements applied to a fireplace and its chimney.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged side elevation of the improved handle and a portion of the rod.

Fig. 3 is an outer edge view of the elements shown in Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a horizontal sectional view on line 4-4 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. l but also disclosing the improved damper mounting frame and the drain from its trough.

Fig. 6 is a top plan view of the improved damper mounting frame and the damper plate therein.

Fig. '7 is a bottom view of the elements shown in Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is a detail section on line 88 of Fig. '7.

Fig. 9 is a top plan view of the frame and trough for use with vent pipes.

Fig. 10 is a detail section on line Ill-II] of Fig. 9.

In the drawings above briefly explained, preferences have been disclosed, and While they will be specifically described, it is to be understood that variations may be made.

A damper late 12 is shown of the general type disclosed in the abovementioned patent, said damper plate having trunnions l3 instrumental in pivotally mounting it in the chimney M of a fireplace 15. In Fig. l, the trunnions I3 are engaged with suitable bearings of a rectangular frame 16 of ngular cross section, such as the corresponding frame of the abovemen-tioned patent, said frame being mounted in the chimney 14. In Figs. 5 to 7, however, the damper supporting frame H3 is of improved construction hereinafter described.

The damper plate I2 is provided with a lug I! to which the upper end of a rod I8 is loosely pivoted at H said rod being preferably formed from sections coupled together at I9. The lower end of the rod I8 is provided with a. toothed operating handle 20 of the improved construction later described herein; and this handle extends through a guide eye 2| on a plate 22 anchored in one side wall of the fireplace l5, behind the keystone or the like 23. Adjustment of the damper plate i2 is effected by moving the toothed handle 20 vertically in the eye 2|, and the selected adjustment is maintained by re-engaging one tooth or another of said handle with said eye.

The handle 20 includes a vertically elongated and longitudinally curved rack 24 having downwardly facing ratchet teeth 25 on its inner edge to engage the eye 2|. The upper end of the rack 24 is formed with an integral neck 26 projecting inwardly beyond the curved inner edge of said rack. and a vertically elongated sleeve 21 is formed integrally with the inner end of said neck 26, said sleeve being of an internal diameter to somewhat loosely receive the lower end of the rod 18. Opposite sides of this sleeve are formed with bosses 28 drilled and tapped so that either boss may receive a set screw 29, one boss being utilized for right hand installations and the other for left, and thus placing the set screw in a fully accessible position.

The above described handle construction allows some leeway from absolute accuracy during installation of the damper and permits accurate final setting of the handle upon the rod, and said setting may be maintained by tightening the set screw 29. I am aware that the mere provision of a set screw wherever desired does not require invention, but instead of merely providing a set screw, I have provided a novel structural change making use of the set screw possible, and by so doing I have overcome troublesome difficulties which exist with the construction shown by the abovementioned patent. It is this specific structural change and not the mere provision of a set screw adjustment upon which I seek protection.

The frame 16 of Figs. to '7 includes a horizontal plate 30 of either square or rectangular form, said plate having an opening 3| in which the damper plate I2 is mounted. At the margin of this opening, the plate 30 is formed with a continuous upwardly projecting flange 32, and with a continuous downwardly projecting flange 33. Another continuous flange 34 projects upwardly from the plate 30 in outwardly spaced relation with the flange 32, whereby said plate and said flanges 32 to 3i jointly form a trough T to receive any water running down the inside of the chimney I4, and the trough bottom is provided with a nipple 35 with which to connect a drain pipe 36, to carry the water from the trough to the exterior of the building. The greater part of the flange '34 is spaced inwardly from the outer edge of the plate 30 but a portion 37 of said flange 34 may be outwardly offset around the nipple 35, as seen in Fig. 6. The portion of the plate 30 forming the bottom of the trough T is formed with spaced upward projections 38 to support the lower end of the chimney liner 39 in upwardly spaced relation with said trough bottom, and said liner is thus prevented from interfering with drainage of water from the trough.

In Figs. 9 and 10, the frame It is similar to I the frame I6 but it suports no damper, and the flanges 32 and 34 which project upwardly from the plate 30 are circular instead of square or rectangular. The bottom of the trough T between these flanges is provided with projections 38 to support a heater vent or the like, and any water running down the inside of said vent will be received in the trough T. This trough is provided with an outlet sleeve 35 to which a drain pipe may be connected. This sleeve 35 may well be held by casting the portion 3'! of the flange 34 and the 'subjacent portion of the plate 3 around it.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that novel and advantageous provision has been made for attaining the desired ends, but attention is again invited to the possibility of making variations within the scope of the invention.

Castings (preferably aluminum), may well be used to form the frames l6. l6 and I6 and the 4 flanges and projections of said frames I6 and [8 will then of course be integral with the plates thereof. The handle 20 with its teeth and sleeve may also be a casting.

I claim:

1. In an assemblage including a damper pivotally mounted in a fireplace chimney, an adjusting rod pivoted to and extending downwardly from said damper, and a stationary handle-receiving eye near the lower end of said rod; a rod handle in the form of a vertically elongated rack extending through said eye, one longitudinal edge of said rack having downwardly facing ratchet teeth engageable with said eye, the upper end of said rack being provided with an integral substantially horizontal neck projecting beyond said one edge of said rack and overlying the lower end of said handle for limiting downward movement of the handle through the eye beyond the neck, said neck being of a length greater than the diameter of the opening in said eye, an elongated sleeve integral with the free end of said neck with its longitudinal axis at right angles to the corresponding axis of said neck and said axis passing through the lower end of the handle, and adjustably receiving the lower end portion of the aforesaid rod. and a set screw threaded through said sleeve for locking said rod in adjusted position in said sleeve.

2. A handle assembly for a damper adjusting rod comprising an elongated rack havin teeth on one longitudinal edge, a hand-grip extending laterally from the lower end of the rack, the upper end of said rack being provided with an integral neck projecting beyond said one edge substantially at right angles thereto and overlying the hand-grip at the lower end of the rack, an elongated sleeve integral with and extending transversely of said neck to receive the damper adjusting rod, a set screw threaded through said sleeve for locking the rod therein, the axis of said sleeve being substantially unidirectional with the length of said rack and a keeper eye having mounting means adapted to fixedly support said eye and having an openin therein of a diameter less than the length of said neck for limiting downward movement of said rack through the eye beyond said neck.

3. In an assemblage including a damper within the throat of a fireplace chimney, an adjusting rod pivoted to and extending downwardly from said damper, an operating handle on the lower end of said rod, and a stationary eye receivin said handle and cooperable therewith in holding said damper in adjusted position; a horizontal frame within which said damper is pivotally mounted, said frame being secured in the throat of said chimney and having a continuous upwardly open trough having upstanding spaced walls located to receive water running down the inside of said chimney, and a drain pipe connected to and extending from said trough to the exterior of the chimney.

4. In an assemblage including a damper within the throat of a chimney and operating means for said damper; a horizontal frame within which said damper is pivotally mounted, said frame being secured in the throat of said chimney and having a continuous upwardly open trough with upstanding spaced walls located to receive Water running down the inside of said chimney, and a drain pipe connected to and extendin from said trough to the exterior of the chimney.

5. A structure as specified in claim 4; together with upward projections on the bottom of said 5 trough between the upstanding walls thereof, and a liner for said chimney resting on said upward projections and thereby spaced upwardly from said trough bottom.

6. A device of the class described comprising a damper-supporting frame for mountin in a chimney and having a central opening therein adapted to register with a chimney flue passage and to receive a damper, said frame having upstanding spaced walls definin a continuous upwardly open trough surrounding said opening to receive water running down the inside of the chimney, a water outlet from said trough and damper trunnion bearings diametrically carried by the inner upstanding wall of said frame.

7. A structure as specified in claim 6; the bottom of said trough having upward projections between said upstanding walls to support a 6 chim'ney liner entirely within the chimney in upwardly spaced relation with said trough bottom.

JOSEPH KOBERLING, SR.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 973,023 Fletcher Oct. 18, 1910 1,655,873 Nelson Jan. 10, 1928 1,901,753 Koberling Mar. 14, 1933 2,170,726 Misbach Aug. 22, 1939 2,192,381 Koberling Mar. 5, 1940 2,501,011 Smart Mar. 21, 1950 

